It looks like there will be at least four recall elections in Wisconsin:
Today, Dems are set to file the signatures they need for the recall election of their fourth Wisconsin GOP state senator this year: Sheila Harsdorf. Graham Zielinski, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Democratic Party, tells me Dems will submit over 23,000 signatures — nearly 150 percent of the 15,744 required.
Dems have already submitted the signatures required for recall elections against state senators Dan Kapanke, Randy Hopper, and Luther Olsen.
Flipping the State Senate requires winning three of these and will be difficult; if Democrats win two seats (my guess is that they win exactly two, based on what I’ve seen), this will be spun as a big Republican victory!
Omnes Omnibus
If the Democrats do anything but win all eight being pursued, the national media will spin it as a Republican victory. I think winning even one or two will put the fear of God in the more sane GOPers especially with the 2012 elections coming up.
MattR
@Omnes Omnibus:
And if they win all eight, that was to be expected and was most surely not a Republican loss.
trollhattan
@MattR:
“Voter fraud!” “ACORN!”
GeneJockey
Oh, well then. Probably best not to even try.
Jinchi
They’ve just had an election in Wisconsin.
Has anybody run the numbers for these districts? If the same group of voters came out for these recall elections, which of the seats would Democrats win?
kdaug
On the rotating-ad rou-lette wheel on the front page, I came up with “Do you believe life begins at conception? Take the poll” this time, replete with infant sucking thumb pic.
So I’m going to throw this out there, then run off to pool league night:
If you believe in life after death, don’t you have to believe in life before birth?
I’ll be back around midnight. Have fun.
Omnes Omnibus
@GeneJockey: Yeah, that is what was said.
arguingwithsignposts
@Omnes Omnibus: I heard a rumor that at least one of the senators will not be on the recall ballot. Is there anything to this? Can the GOP replace the sitting senator on a ballot with another GOPer?
Judas Escargot
On what day would the special elections be held? The article didn’t say.
(ie would they occur on the ‘normal’ election day in November 2011, or on a special election day?)
MikeJ
@Judas Escargot: July
David in NY
@Jinchi: Info available in Chris Bowers posts on DailyKos.
http://images1.dailykos.com/i/user/123/recall_vitals_2.JPG
That’s info for the three more problematic of the four so far — Kapanke(sp?) looks dead in the water.
OzoneR
@Jinchi:
Kloppenberg won two of these districts, but the third, which Prossner won is an incumbent embroiled in delicious scandal.
so they probably should win three.
But there are also one, probably two, Democrats being recalled too.
Omnes Omnibus
@arguingwithsignposts: First, I’ve heard of it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Hopper accepts that having his wife and his maid sign the recall petition after he moved in with his much younger gf in Madison is not a sign of electoral victory.
El Cid
Thankfully, it will turn out that in various small towns there were approximately 800,000 votes not counted, 99% of which were for the Republican candidates.
Gravenstone
This is the warm-up. January 2012, Scott Walker learns all about pucker factor.
Ogami Itto
Randy Hopper. Republicans have some fucked up names.
Omnes Omnibus
@OzoneR: I might be whistling passed the graveyard here, but I am not overly worried about the D recalls.
Jay C
@kdaug:
At least that ad provided a poll: I just got that one that said – under pic of cute infant, of course – “Millions of babies killed on your dime. Defund Planned Parenthood Click here to contribute”
Other than prodding me into giving even MORE to PP than I already have, I really have to offended by this crap: I know neither John or the other BJ honchos have much (any?) control over the rotating ads: but is there NO way to cull the more obvious/offensive BS?
Who solicits and schedules these ads? The AFA?
OzoneR
@Omnes Omnibus:
I’m not either, though they’re in districts Prosser won. If Democrats lose in those recalls, then really, fuck Wisconsin.
MikeJ
@OzoneR: One of the Dems is in a D+6, so that shouldn’t be an issue. Don’t know about the other though.
Linda Featheringill
@Jinchi:
DailyKos has some data, comparing the latest [state supreme court] votes against some other history.
alhutch
@OzoneR: The repubs have not turned in any petitions / signatures as of yet (and have claimed they would this week). We’ll see if the R’s are as energized. I have a feeling they aren’t.
Zifnab
Just keep an eye on those polls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1thcO_olHas&feature=youtu.be
I’m not saying the voting is rigged or anything, but…
you’ve got a guy testifying in this YouTube video that the voting is rigged. :-p
Dennis SGMM
@Judas Escargot:
Considering Republican actions in the state so far, I’d say June 35th.
OzoneR
@alhutch:
They claim to have the petitions against one
http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2011/04/19/tea-party-activists-ready-to-submit-recall-petitions-against-wisconsin-democrats.aspx
Anyway, they were certainly energized to protect their judge
cathyx
I think what the people of Wisconsin are doing is great, but if they didn’t have enough votes against Prosser, then I have little hope of these people being thrown out.
arguingwithsignposts
@cathyx: Prosser was statewide. These are district races. It’s possible they could turn a district easier. Plus, these senators may not have county election officers who mysteriously turn up extra votes.
Comrade Carter
They are going to get two and possibly all four of these.
As a Wisconsinite, who has a member with not enough time in the Senate (Leah Vukmir), they are gone. NOBODY likes the union busting.
Bob Loblaw
@cathyx:
Prosser was a judge whose guilt was entirely by association. The legislators were the ones who actually voted for the bill, and you saw how well one of their own did in the election for Milwaukee county executive.
Phyllis
At least they have a mechanism for recall in Wisconsin. No such thing here in SC.
jwb
@OzoneR: The numbers required to trigger a recall vote are such that anyone who is facing recall would have to be worried, and Prosser’s numbers were such that, even if he was bolstered to some extent by voter fraud, it shows that the Goopers can still get the dumbshits out voting in force.
jwb
@Zifnab: That video looks like a fake.
Mike
@arguingwithsignposts: Yes, they can. The recallee can bail out within 10 days of the petitions being certified and be replaced by another candidate–either a party appointee or by a primary if contested.
Garrigus Carraig
@kdaug:
I’m struggling to remember if I’ve ever read anything dumber than this on this blog.
SIA
@OzoneR: According to Greg Sargent, GOP has less than a week to submit their recall signatures on Dem senators, but haven’t submitted any yet. My guess is they got nothin’.
Arclite
I’m sure that all the Dems will lose when 7000 votes turn up in some Republican stronghold where the election manager used to work for the politician. That seems to be the Wisconsin way.
Bruce S
“this will be spun as a big Republican victory!”
aka “Good news for Donald Trump!”
August J. Pollak
Been asking this for a while, but what are the rules pertaining to the recall if the incumbent chooses to resign?
In other words, theoretically, what’s to stop one of the Republican senators from facing a recall, and their response is, “well, fuck you then” and immediately resigning, thus allowing Walker to appoint an immediate replacement?
Furthermore, would anything stop Walker from just appointing the very same Senator?
I wouldn’t put anything past him at this point becuase his entire backing is now teabaggers who would orgasm at a move like that, so honestly wondering if he actually, legally can’t do it.
Dave N.
Randy Hopper (my Senator), is more then likely done. Even the local wingnuts are turning against him.
He held a town hall meeting, which turned into a “listening session” in Fond du Lac a couple nights ago, and it did not go well for him. There were about 200 people there really wanting him to answer some questions. Instead, he sat the front, stone-faced while people bitched about him. Might as well have been a cardboard cut-out.
He won in 2008 by only about 160 votes, and the gal that lost to him in that election, Jessica King, is running in the recall election.
Hopper is so clueless that when King announced she was running, he put out a press release stating she wanted to “put the screws to the working people of Wisconsin.” This, after he was caught putting the screws to a 26-year side-piece in Madison. The satire writes itself with this guy.
d. john
@kdaug:
“If you believe in life after death, don’t you have to believe in life before birth?”
The stupid… it burns.
I have a better question.
Regarding many conservative Pharisees.. or is it Christians (you’ll have to remind me of the difference)…
anyway my question…
why do you guys believe in life after death
but apparently not life *after birth*?
seems xtian conservatives love them some fetuses and some corpses… nothing in between.. it’s fucking wierd.
Omnes Omnibus
@August J. Pollak: The governor would not appoint a new senator; the vacancy must be filled by an election.
Here is the relevant statute:
17.19 Vacancies, elective state offices; how filled. Vacancies in elective state offices shall be filled as follows:
(1) Members of legislature. In the office of state senator or representative to the assembly, by election, as provided in s. 8.50, for the residue of the unexpired term. In addition, an anticipated vacancy in the office of state senator or representative to the assembly may be filled as provided in s. 8.50 (4) (e).
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
@Bruce S:
Yes, sometimes I do have too much time on my hands, why do you ask?